Crossover lighter structure for gas burners

ABSTRACT

The crossover lighting structure is formed with open-ended gas passages extending along opposite sides thereof. The gas passages communicate at their inner ends with a gas discharge passage in the burner, and they diverge therefrom toward the inlet end of the burner. The outer ends of the passages terminate in close adjacency to the outer ends of the passages of the crossover structures mounted on adjacent burners. The passages decrease in cross-sectional area toward their outer ends. The outer wall structure of each passage if formed with an opening of controlled area extending lengthwise thereof. Preferably, the openings increase in width toward the outer ends of the passages.

United States Patent Inventors Adrian V. Cavestany Pasadena; Donald R. Smith, Diamond Bar; Harold R.

Bissell, Jr., Hacienda Heights, Calif.

Appl. No. 880,602

Filed Nov. 28, 1969 Patented May 18, 1971 Assignee Carrier Corporation Syracuse, N.Y.

CROSSOVER LIGHTER STRUCTURE FOR GAS BURNERS Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Attorneysl-larryG. Martin and J. Raymond Curtin ABSTRACT: The crossover lighting structure is formed with open-ended gas passages extending along opposite sides thereof. The gas passages communicate at their inner ends with a gas discharge passage in the burner, and they diverge therefrom toward the inlet end of the burner. The outer ends of the passages terminate in close adjacency to the outer ends of the passages of the crossdver structures mounted on adjacent burners. The passages decrease in cross-sectional area toward their outer ends. The outer wall structure of each passage if formedwith an opening of controlled area extending lengthwise thereof. Preferably, the openings increasein width toward the outer ends of the passages.

PATENIEDMAY 1 8 I97! I I sum 1 or 2 INVENTORS ADRIAN v. CAVESTANY R. SMITH HAROLD R. BISSELL JR.

DONALD ATTORNEY PATENTEDMAYI a am 3,678,891

I SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR.

ADRIAN v. CAVESTANY DONALD R. SMITH HAROLD R. BISS ELL JR.

BY 11M ATTORNEY CROSSOVJER LIGHTER STRUCTURE FOR GAS BURNERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the prior art, crossover igniters or lighters consist of hollow members attached to the burners and formed with gas flow passages of uniform cross section extending linear and normal to the axis of the burner. Such ignition devices, in the main, consist of a number of parts or components resulting in a costly structure. Due to the fact that the gas flow passages are of uniform size, the pressure throughout the length of the igniter is not uniform, with the result that improper ignition occurs, especially if the burners are supplied at low rate at the time of ignition.

This invention has as an object a crossover lighter arrangement embodying a construction particularly simple and economical to produce and which functions to provide an equal pressure of gas-air mixture throughout each crossover structure. This metering of the gas-air mixture provides a controlled, sharp, and even flame at normal, overrate, or low rate operating conditions to assure instant ignition of the burners under all conditions. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The crossover lighter structure of this invention consists of a pair of sheet metal stampings arranged in vertically spacedapart relation and being in general of triangular configuration. The apex of the assembly is arranged in juxtaposition to a gas discharge port in the top wall of the burner body, and the structure is formed with a passage extending along opposite sides of the assembly from the apex thereof. These gas flow passages converge in cross-sectional area toward the outer ends, and the outer wall of each passage is formed with a slot extending lengthwise thereof. The slots increase in width in a direction toward the outer ends of the passages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing two burners provided with crossover lighter structures embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the right portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the lower member of the lighter structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the lighter structures;

FIG. 5 is a view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The burners shown in conjunction with our crossover lighters are of elongated configuration fabricated from upper and lower sheet metal stampings 10,11. The upper stamping 10 is formed along each side with a laterally extending flange 12. The lower stamping 11 is similarly formed with wider flanges 13 which are bent upwardly about the edges of the flanges on the upper member 10, and then crimped downwardly against it. The burners are formed with an open inlet end abutting a gas supply manifold 14. The top member 10 of each burner is formed with a linear series of gas discharge ports in the form of transversely extending slots 15.

It will be understood the burner may embody many other specific structural forms. The burner described is only for illustrating the application of our crossover lighter.

The crossover lighter structure consists of an upper member 17 formed with a plane surface 18 of polygonal form having a pair of adjoining sides 19 diverging toward a base side. The member 17 is also formed with a flange 20 depending from the base side of the surface 18. The end portions of the flange 20 merge with flanges 21 extending laterally therefrom. The area of the flange 20 intermediate the flanges 21 is formed with a notch dimensioned complemental to the top member 10 of the burner.

At each side of the burner, that portion of the flange 13 of the lower burner stamping 11, which is folded over the flange 12 on the upper burner stamping 10, is relieved or notched for a distance extending lengthwise of the burner comparable to the width of the flange 21. (See FIGS. 2, 6, and 7.) With this arrangement, the flanges 21 are positioned on the flanges 12 and are fixedly secured thereto as by spot welding.

The lighter structure also includes a lower member indicated generally at 23, FIG. 3, also in the form of a sheet metal stamping having a plane polygonal surface 27 formed complemental to the surface 10 of the upper member 17. The diverging sides 30 have a depending flange 31 terminating in laterally extending flanges 33. The surface 27 is positioned against the underside of the surface 13 of the upper member 17 and is fixed thereto as by spot welding as indicated at 35, FIG. 4. The flanges 33 extend outwardly a short distance beyond the sides 19 of the surface 10. The outer edges of the flanges 33 are bent upwardly forming flanges 37. The diverging edges 19 of surface 18 are formed with depending flanges 40 which are positioned inwardly of the flanges 37 (see FIG. 5). The flanges 37,40 terminate at their outer ends coincident with the ends of the base sides of the upper and lower members 17,25. The inner ends of the flanges 37 terminate coincident with the inner ends 41 of the flanges 33, which in turn terminate in spaced-apart relation (see FIG. 3). This spacing is comparable to the length of the gas discharge ports 15. The apex or corner 43, from which the sides 30 diverge, is positioned inwardly from the apex or corner 45 from which the sides 19 diverge (see FIG. 4).

The flanges 33 form the bottom walls of passages diverging from the discharge ports 15. The side areas of the surface 18 of the upper member form the upper walls of these passages, and the inner walls are formed by the flange 31.

The upwardly extending flanges 37 and the depending flanges 40 form the outer wall structure of the passages. The flanges 40 do not extend to the bottom wall flanges 33, and accordingly, provide a slot for the escape of the gas mixture moving through the passages. There are a number of the discharge ports 15 located intermediate the inner ends of the flanges 33 and below the apex portion of the surface 18 of the top member. Accordingly, gas discharged from these ports 15 enters the inner ends of the passages defined by the top surface 18 and flanges 31, 33, 37, and 40. The gas mixture escaping from the opening of controlled area is directed upwardly by the outwardly spaced flanges 37. Preferably, the lower edges of the flanges 40 incline upwardly from the inner ends of the flanges toward the outer ends thereof, whereby the openings increase in width toward the outer ends of the passages.

The lighter structures are affixed to the burner and are of such length that the outer ends of the passages terminate in close proximity to the outer ends of the passages in the lighter structures positioned on adjacent burners (see FIG. 1).

A pilot burning 50 is located contiguous to a passage in one of the lighter structures (see FIG. 1). As the gas-air mixture flows through the burner from the supply manifold M, it is emitted through the discharge port slots 15 located between the inner ends of the flanges 33. This mixture passes outwardly through the diverging passages and outwardly through the controlled area opening arrangement provided by the flanges 37,40, and upon ignition by the pilot 50, produces a flame extending along the outer sides of the passages.

The flanges 31 depending from the sides 30 of the lower member 25 diverge from the corner 43 at a greater angle than do the flanges 37,40. Accordingly, the gas passages decrease in cross-sectional dimension toward their outer ends (see FIG. 4). This arrangement provides for the metering of the gas escaping through the opening arrangement provided by the flanges 37,40 so that a volume of the gas escaping through the outer sidewall openings is substantially uniform throughout the length of the openings; and accordingly, a sharp uniform ignition flame is produced along each opening, regardless of the volume of air-gas mixture moving through the throat of the burner. With this arrangement, ignition from one burner to the next is effected smoothly and without delay.

We claim:

1. A crossover lighter structure for gas burners arranged in parallel side-by-side assembly each burner having a gas inlet end and a discharge port spaced from said inlet end, said lighter structure being mounted on the burner intermediate said inlet end and said discharge port and being formed with an open'ended gas passage extending along each side of said structure from said discharge port at an acute angle relative to the axis of the burner toward said inlet end thereof, the inner ends of said passages communicating with said discharge port for receiving gas therefrom, the outer ends of said gas passages terminating in close adjacency to the outer ends of the gas passages in the lighter structures on adjacent burners, each of said gas passages decreasing in cross sectional area toward the outer end thereof, and each of said passages having an outer sidewall formed with an opening extending lengthwise thereof for the emission of gas from the interior of said gas passage.

2. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said openings increase in width toward the outer ends of said passages.

3. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each passage is formed with imperforate, flat top, bottom and inner sidewalls, said bottom wall being formed along its outer edge with an upstanding flange of less width than said inner wall, said top wall being formed along its outer edge with a depending flange spaced inwardly from said bottom wall flange, the lower edge of said top wall flange being spaced upwardly from said bottom wall, said flanges forming an outer sidewall provided with an opening extending lengthwise thereof, said inner and outer walls converging in a direction toward the outer end of the passage.

4. A crossover lighter structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the lower edge of said top wall flange inclines upwardly from said bottom wall in a direction toward the outer end of the passage.

5. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said top wall and top wall flange are formed from a sheet metal stamping fixedly secured to the burner, said inner wall, bottom wall, and bottom wall flange formed from a second sheet metal stamping fixed to said first stamping. 

1. A crossover lighter structure for gas burners arranged in parallel side-by-side assembly each burner having a gas inlet end and a discharge port spaced from said inlet end, said lighter structure being mounted on the burner intermediate said inlet end and said discharge port and being formed with an open-ended gas passage extending along each side of said structure from said discharge port at an acute angle relative to the axis of the burner toward said inlet end thereof, the inner ends of said passages communicating with said discharge port for receiving gas therefrom, the outer ends of said gas passages terminating in close adjacency to the outer ends of the gas passages in the lighter structures on adjacent burners, each of said gas passages decreasing in cross sectional area toward the outer end thereof, and each of said passages having an outer sidewall formed with an opening extending lengthwise thereof for the emission of gas from the interior of said gas passage.
 2. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said openings increase in width toward the outer ends of said passages.
 3. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each passage is formed with imperforate, flat top, bottom and inner sidewalls, said bottom wall being formed along its outer edge with an upstanding flange of less width than said inner wall, said top wall being formed along its outer edge with a depending flange spaced inwardly from said bottom wall flange, the lower edge of said top wall flange being spaced upwardly from said bottom wall, said flanges forming an outer sidewall provided with an opening extending lengthwise thereof, said inner and outer walls converging in a direction toward the outer end of the passage.
 4. A crossover lighter structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the lower edge of said top wall flange inclines upwardly from said bottom wall in a direction toward the outer end of the passage.
 5. A crossover lighter structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said top wall and top wall flange are formed from a sheet metal stamping fixedly secured to the burner, said inner wall, bottom wall, and bottom wall flange formed from a second sheet metal stamping fixed to said first stamping. 